Collapsible camp-stool.



E. L. KAIVIRATH.

COLLAPSIBLE CAMP STOOL. APFLICATIGN FILED MAY7. I914.

Patented July 11, 1916.

ram/v COLLAPSIBLE CAMP-STOOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1916..

Application filed May 7, 1914. Serial No. 836,874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL L. KAMRATH, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Camp-Stools, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention has for its ob ect, to provide a collapsible camp stool which may be readily carried in the manner of an 0rd1- nary cane, the parts of the camp stool frame being adapted to fit together to resemble a cane construction, while the seat portion may be rolled to conveniently fit within the pocket.

Another object of the invention 18 to perfect details of construction of the parts and their connections, to render the device strong when in use in either form thereof.

With the above and other objects in view,

' the invention consists of a collapsible camp stool as herein claimed and all equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawmgs in which like characters of reference indicate the same parts in different views, Figure 1. is a perspective view of a camp stool constructed in accordance with this invention and shown in position for use; Fig. 2 is a front view thereof, a portion of one of the supporting members belng sectioned to show means for connection with the seat portion; Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional view of clamp connection for the cross supporting members; Fig. 4- is a detail view of one of the socket connections on the seat member; Fig. 5- is a perspective view of the clamping member; Fig. 6- is a perspective view of the device when the frame is assembled in its cane like forma- 'tion; and Fig. 7- 1s a perspective vlew of the seat portion rolled for convenient carrying in the pocket.

In these drawings 10 indicates a flexible fabric seat portion which may be of canvas or other strong material suitable for the purpose and which has its ends secured to and wrapped about end pleces 11 approxlmately semi-circular in cross section. Dowel pin openings 12, are formed in the flat surfaces of the end pieces 11 to receive dow'el pins 21 projecting from the upper ends of a pair of supporting members 13 and 14 'which cross each other at approximately their middle points where they are clamped together. The supporting members 13 and 14 are circular in cross section, or of any other regular shape at their lower ends, that is, from the point of crossing downward, but at their upper ends, or from the point of crossing upwardly, they have half of their regular section cut away so that in the pres ent instance they are semi-circular in cross section. The two supporting members have their flat surfaces face to face at the point of crossing, but the square central flat portion 15 of a sheet metal clamping member, fits between these flat surfaces and at opposite edges has curved flaps 16 projecting from it and forming an arch on one side of the central plate, the ends of the flaps being connected together by a clamping screw 17, threaded into a nut 18, while a spring 19 surrounds the clamping screw and is interposed between said ends. The semicircular arch formed by the pair of curved flaps 16 exactly fits around the semicircular portion of one of the supporting members 13 and 1 1, while similar curved flaps 20, project-ing from the other edges of the square central plate portion of the clamp, produce the same sort of a clamping sleeve to fit upon the semicircular portion of the other supporting member but the axes of the two sleeve like clamping portions of the clamping member are at an angle so that when the supporting members are clamped together by means of the clamping member, they cross at right angles as shown in Fig. 2. The end pieces 11 of the seat member, besides having the dowel pin openings 12, have semicircular socket plates 22 to receive the ends of the supporting members, such socket plates being firmly secured to the end pieces 11, as shown in Fig. 4. The lower end of the supporting member 13 is shown as provi ded with a cross piece 23 which rests upon the ground to give stability to the camp stool and enable it to stand alone on the two legs.

When the device is not in use as a camp stool, it may be disconnected and the supporting members assembled in the form of a cane, as shown in Fig. 6. To do this, it is only necessary to loosen the clamping screw 17 and by sliding one of the supporting members through its sleeve reduce the distance between the upper ends of the clamping members so as to permit of the end piece 11 being disconnected therefrom.

The other end piece 11 is then disconnected from the other supporting member and the seat is compactly rolled, as shown in Fig. 7, by folding the cloth fabric and wrapping it around the two semicircular end pieces. The seat member and the clamping member, when the latter is entirely removed from the supporting members, may then be conveniently carried in the pocket, while the two supporting members are fitted together with their half sections or their semicircular parts overlapping each other, and their dowel pins 21 fitting into dowel pin openings 24, in the ends of the unreduced portion of the supporting members, the frictional engagement of the dowel pins in these dowel pin openings, being suflicient to retain the parts in their assembled condition in which they constitute a cane, the crosspiece 23 becoming the handle of the cane.

The clamping member besides having the clamping action of its sleeve parts surrounding the semicircular portions of the supporting members, has short tongues 25, bent up from the middle of two of the adjacent edges of the square central fiat portion thereof, to fit within grooves or notches formed to receive them in the flat surfaces of the supporting members so that sliding of the clamping member on the supporting members is entirely avoided.

By means of this invention a camp stool is provided which may be carried from place to place with the frame construction in the form of a cane, while the seat portion and the metal clamp are carried in the pocket. This makes an attractive novelty that 'may be sold at base ball games and other outdoor games for immediate use and which has the advantage of being in a form which will enable it to be retained for further use on similar occasions when the ordinary form of camp stool would probably have to be discarded. The device when set up as a camp stool is of sufficient strength to serve its purpose and being of so few parts it is inexpensive to manufacture so that it can be sold at a reasonable price. The springs 19, hold the flaps with pressure against the screw 17 and the nut 18 and thus prevent their becoming loose when the clamping member is disconnected from the supporting rods.

that I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A collapsible camp stool, comprising a pair of supporting members half sectioned for approximately half the length thereof, a clamping member having a pair of clamping sleeves at an angle to each other to receive the half sectioned portions of the supporting members, and a seat member comprising a flexible seat portion secured to end pieces and means for securing the end pieces to the upper ends of thesupporting members, said supporting members when disconnected from the seat member and the clamping members being adapted to have their half sectioned portions fitted together.

2. A collapsible camp stool, comprising a pair of supporting rods, half sectioned for approximately half the length thereof, a cross piece on the end of one supporting rod, a clamping member having a pair of clamping sleeves at an angle to each other and adapted to receive the half sections of the supporting rods, a seat member comprising a flexible central portion, end pieces connected to the ends thereof, and means for connecting the end pieces to the upper ends of the supporting rods, said supporting rods when disconnected from the seat member and the clamping members being adapted to have their half portions fitted together to constitute a cane.

3. A collapsible camp stool, comprising a pair of supporting rods, half sectioned for approximately half the length thereof, a

clamping member comprising a central sheet metal plate with projectingcurved flaps at opposite edges thereof to form clamping sleeves at an angle to each other, clamping screws passing through the ends of the flaps of each clamping sleeve to tighten the clamping sleeves upon the half sectioned portions of the supporting rods, a seat member comprising a flexible central portion, end pieces secured to the ends thereof, a means for connecting the end pieces to the upper ends of the supporting rods, said supportingrods being adapted, when disconnected from the seat member and the clamping member, to have their half sectioned portions fit together to form a cane.

4. A collapsible camp stool, comprising a pair of supporting rods, half sectioned for approximately half the length thereof, a clamping member comprising a central sheet metal plate with flaps at opposite edges thereof, bent to form a pair of clamping sleeves at an angle to each other, clamping screws connecting the ends of the flaps of each clamping sleeve to tighten the clamping sleeve around the half sectioned portions of the supporting rods, tongues bent up from adjacent edges of the central plate portion of the clamping member to fit with-' in notches in the flat surfaces of the half sectioned portions of the supporting rods, a seat member comprising a flexible central portion, end pieces secured thereto and means for connecting the end pieces with the upper ends of the supporting rods, said supporting rods being adapted when disconnected from the seat member and the clamping member, to have their half sectioned portions fit together to form a cane.

5. A collapsible camp stool, comprising a pair of supporting rods half sectioned for approximately half the length thereof, a

ture, in presence tions of the supporting rods to receive the dowel pins when the supporting rods have their half sectioned portions fitted together 15 after removing the clamping member and the seat member, so that the supporting rods constitute a cane.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signaof two Witnesses.

EMIL L. KAMRATH. Witnesses:

R. S. C. CALDWELL,

KATHERINE HOLT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for. five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

